Assignment Shock
by ThirdCharm01
Summary: MN & JD implied. Set in the "Play Series" Universe. How does a Ranger just out of training cope with all the shocking goings on of the ISA leadership? This piece is an answer to the Lady Q’s 2005 Christmas Prompt Challenge. The word chosen was "White".


Title: Assignment Shock

Author: Third Charm

Fandom: Babylon 5

Pairings: Sheridan/Delenn (implied), Marcus/Neroon (implied).

Story Type: Prompt fic./Snippet, Comedy

Current Rating: T

Disclaimer: Babylon 5 and all subsequent major characters, plots, and ideas are the property of J. Michael Straczynski, Babylonian Inc. and Warner Bros. The following story was written only for the purposes of entertainment. No income had been made.

Warnings: AU, not beta read, implied sex, implied slash

Spoilers: None specifically mentioned.

Summary: Set in the "Play Series" Universe. Oh, but how does a poor Ranger just out of training cope with all the shocking goings on the ISA leadership? This piece is an answer to the Lady Q's 2005 Christmas Prompt Challenge list. The word chosen was "White".

Author's Note: The Minbari words and phrases were found at the "JumpNow" website in John Hightower's Minbari dictionary.

* * *

Assignment Shock

Amaya went white at the news of he new assignment. "But, but, but..." the young Minbari floundered badly. The poor, newly minted Ranger was so traumatized that she couldn't even get a coherent denial out.

Sech Turval chuckled with both amusement and pride at what he thought was shock at being thought worthy of such an assignment. "Do not be so surprised, _Anla'Shok_ (Ranger) Amaya. You are the best of your class. Now, I know that such a posting is quite the honor for a novice, but you have earned it. And since the _Shai Alyt_ (Warrior Caste Leader) was one of my best students, I know that he will have much that he will be able to teach you."

Amaya cringed inwardly. That statement had just put an end to all her hopse of getting out of this. She could now in no way refuse this assignment without insulting the Sech.

The young Ranger bowed and said, "I will endeavor to make you proud, Sech Turval."

The pleased Ranger trainer nodded and smiled. "I know that you will, young one," he said before motioning for Amaya to leave his office.

All though he would have loved spend more time with his favorite student, he had to ask her to leave so that he could meet with all the other top new Rangers that would be getting their assignments from him. Turval sighed with a bit of regret at that. He never seemed to have enough time to just speak to his students, as Durhann always seemed to.

Amaya bowed and left at that point. She walked toward the rec. hall in a daze. When she arrived there, she found an empty table and sat down. The entirety of the horror of her new assignment finally fell on her, and the poor Minbari did something that until the Second Shadow War had been totally unheard for her species.

She let out a shriek and began to bang her head against the table while yelling, "Why me? Valen, why me? What could I have done in a past life to deserve this?"

The Rangers and Rangers trainees, having witnessed more than one truly spectacular finals and/or first assignment breakdown simply looked once or twice, shrugged, and started a betting pool. The bets were taken as to how long it would take for Amaya to calm down, and whether or not it would happen before she passed out from the concussion she was about to give herself.

Two Warriors who had just walked into the rec. hall at that point. They had actually been sent to collect the new Ranger and take to her new post. They ran to her table with the intent on giving aid while wondering why everyone else was ignoring her obvious distress. Well, they tried to at least. Three Senior Rangers blocked their path. They could not get past them without a fight and knew that no violence would be tolerated. Hence, they were effectively stuck.

Then one of the human male Rangers said to them, "Don't get in her way yet, boys. Wait until she's calmed down. If you get in her way now, you'll pay for it either by meeting her _denn'bok_ (Minbari pike) the hard way or having a hysterical female use you as a hanky for God and Valen knows how long. Just let the post finals/new assignment meltdown play out. Trust us, it's easier on everyone that way."

When Amaya had finally calmed to the sniffling point, the Rangers let the stunned Warriors pass. As they neared her table, they heard her mutter, "Why? Why did I have to pull an assignment with them, why that "interesting" couple of the ISA? Couldn't I have gotten the Sheridans? I'm supposed the best of the class, doesn't that even MEAN anything?"

The Warriors stooped dead in their tracks. This was bad, very bad. It seems that this poor child had gotten a very rude introduction to the private lives of their respective superiors! The Warriors paled and cringed. If _Satai_ (Ruler) Neroon and/or _Shai Alyt_ Cole ever found out who had gossiped, even Valen's Second Coming wouldn't be able to help them – or anyone else on staff for that matter!

Reshan walked over to the distraught Ranger and began to speak gently to her as he helped Amaya further calm herself. When she was as calm as possible, introduced himself and his companion. Finally, he broached the subject of what he thought was the gossip she had heard.

At his VERY tactfully asked question, the young Minbari let out a hysterical laugh blurted out, "Oh how I wish! No, not gossip, Warrior. I and my training partner were accidentally locked in the training simulator with those two!"

The Warriors were the ones to go stark white at that statement. Oh, this poor, poor child! So young, so innocent! And to have witnessed one of THOSE sessions!

Amaya went on in her hysteria, not even registering the Warriors' pallor. "How will I even be able to face either of them? How will I ever be able to be in the same room with either of them and not remember that seedy bar scene – and, and hearing my partner calling them the "kinkiest couple in the Federation"?!"

Both Warriors had stopped listening to the rant at the word "bar". They were heaving huge internal sighs of relief. Oh, thank Valen! It had been only "The Trick and Trolling Hustler". The fits of embarrassment that this child was going through, they could help her deal with. After all, that was par for the course with the position they held. But the trauma a young, non-Warrior Caste, and unawakened female Minbari would be going through if she had witnessed something like "The Raider and the Warrior" would have been unimaginable!

The End


End file.
